Washington – Sheriffs Complain ‘Waze’ Interferes Ability To Write Speeding Tickets

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    A page from the Waze app is seen in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015. A sheriffs’ organization is broadening its concerns about the popular Waze mobile traffic app. Washington – Sheriffs said Wednesday that Google’s popular Waze traffic app is making it harder to nab speeders, adding to earlier police complaints that a feature in the software that lets drivers warn others about nearby police activity is putting officers’ lives at risk.

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    The National Sheriffs’ Association had previously focused its campaign against Waze on police safety after the fatal shootings of two New York police officers in December. It broadened its campaign with a new statement criticizing Google’s software as hampering the use of speed traps. The trade association said radar guns and other speed enforcement techniques have reduced highways deaths.

    “This app will hamper those activities by locating law enforcement officers and puts the public at risk,” the group said.

    In the Waze app, which operates like a free GPS navigation tool, users can tag the locations of parked police vehicles, accidents, congestion, traffic cameras, potholes and more, so that other drivers using Waze are warned as they approach the same location.

    In a twist, the newly expressed concern about speeding is also Google’s own defense of its software.

    “Most users tend to drive more carefully when they believe law enforcement is nearby,” Waze spokeswoman Julie Mossler said.

    Waze actually gained popularity in the last week since The Associated Press first disclosed law enforcement’s concerns, climbing four positions to No. 8 on Apple’s ranking of the top free mobile apps.

    The Los Angeles Police Department chief and the executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police have echoed the sheriffs’ concerns about police safety but have not said anything about it interfering with catching speeders. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who in 2011 raised issues with mobile apps that identified drunken driving checkpoints, is concerned about the Waze app police-reporting feature, according to his office.

    Other major police trade groups had not yet formally joined the sheriffs’ campaign. Some police departments near San Francisco, where Google is headquartered, did not share the same concerns.

    Heather Randol, a spokeswoman for the San Jose Police Department, said the department does not have much information about the software’s impact.

    “However, part of our police model includes a highly visible police presence to reduce crime,” Randol said.

    Waze users mark locations of police vehicles — which are generally stopped in public spaces — on maps without much distinction other than “visible” or “hidden.” Users driving nearby see a police icon, but it’s not immediately clear whether police are there for a speed trap, a sobriety check or a lunch break.

    Police objections to Waze add new complexity to the debate about technology and privacy. Some Waze supporters lashed out at outspoken sheriffs on social media, pointing to the irony of police concerns about being watched amid sensational disclosures about police and government surveillance of citizens.

    Sheriff Mike Brown of Bedford County, Virginia, said states might pass laws to prevent people from revealing the locations of parked police cruisers. Privacy advocates, however, said First Amendment protections will stand in the way.

    “Waze represents person-to person information in the public square,” said Nuala O’Connor, head of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a Washington civil liberties group, who said she uses the software. “And that’s long been a U.S. right under the Constitution.”

    There are no known connections between any violent attack on police and the Waze software. But Brown and others believe it is only a matter of time.

    Holding Google liable for any future crime against law enforcement in which Waze was used to locate police would be a stretch, said Michael Krauss, a professor at George Mason University Law School in Virginia.

    “Notifying people where police are, or where government officials happen to be located, has never been seen as negligent or as committing any kind of intentional tort,” Krauss said. The fact that someone would misuse Waze in order to harm police is no more relevant than if someone misused a kitchen knife to stab someone, he said.


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    20 Comments
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    LEEAVE
    LEEAVE
    9 years ago

    what happend to freedom of speech?

    Boochie
    Boochie
    9 years ago

    Is the point of tickets to get people to slow down or to balance the city budget?

    Voice-of-Reason
    Voice-of-Reason
    9 years ago

    Based on the user’s speed of icon on the waze maps police can also see where the speeders are too.

    9 years ago

    I don’t get it.. I thought he point of speeding tickets and cops hiding is to get you to drive safe and slower. So if waves tells you drive slow becaue there are cops you will drive and safe and slow. Mission accomplished.

    EMZEE
    EMZEE
    9 years ago

    Perhaps the location of all Police Stations should be a secret. After all any one with a sick mind can go to a station and follow an officer.

    9 years ago

    Ok. So scanning every single persons license plate as they pass a police cruiser or putting up a gotcha speed camera is absolutely fine without any infringement on the average citizen. But to tell someone be careful a cop is up ahead is all of the sudden against the law!!?? What gives?? This is a poor excuse to make sure they get as much $$ from the average citizen who is not immune to policing system.

    Rafuel
    Rafuel
    9 years ago

    The same thing that happened to the freedom of speech when many states outlawed radar detectors and they were much less dangerous to the cops than Waze app.

    mewhoze
    mewhoze
    9 years ago

    if they outlaw waze we will need to go back to the days of c b radios.

    9 years ago

    Here in boro park a stupid cop was holding up traffick every night on 53 street between 17 and 18 avenue he was outside of his car and stopping cars everyone had to wait till he wrote out the ticket it 20 minutes to pass this block till i put on waze twice low and behold the cop left that helped me get to my place on time. And yes if the people slow down because we know a cop is there than that’s great why complaints oh because of ticket quotas haha the sergeants will get mad screw the ticket happy cops

    curious
    curious
    9 years ago

    Well, at least now they are being honest. The other day they said they were concerned with the safety of the police. I knew that was disingenuous. Now, the truth we all knew comes out.
    There is no constitutional right being violated by Google. So, too bad!

    Benny
    Benny
    9 years ago

    Let people decide if they want others to know where the police is(if they feel the police is ticketing for no reason)
    Or people won’t let others know where the police is, since they prevent accidents, and do a good job.

    Brooklynhocker
    Brooklynhocker
    9 years ago

    I use Waze everyday as I drive thru Staten Island. The other Wazers have saved me thousands of dollars in speeding tickets. The reason I feel so strongly about Waze is because I got pulled over for 8 over ( a ridiculous 58 mph) and the cop wrote me up for 62 (another 2 points and $100 more in fines) I tried to fight it with a lawyer and the judge wouldn’t budge- all they do is hunt people down, and then they completely lie (under oath) of what transpired.
    Am I an unsafe driver because of Waze- absolutely not, I’m doing the same speed or more (legally) on 90% of my drive.

    RebbeDoo
    RebbeDoo
    9 years ago

    If you see a cop on Waze then you’ll slow down just while after passing him you’ll continue speeding(like I do) – speeding is dangerous!

    zelmo
    zelmo
    9 years ago

    Isn’t it against halachah to speed?
    The Minhat Yishak (Rav Yishak Weiss, 1902-1989), in his work Masa Haderech (chapter 1, p. 32), writes that a motorist who drives unsafely has the Halachic status of a “Rodef” – somebody trying to kill others. He must therefore be stopped through any available means.
    Rav Shemuel Wosner (contemporary), in his work Shebet Halevi (vol. 6, Siman 112), writes that is plainly obvious that speeding and reckless driving fall under the category of “Safek Resiha” (possible murder) and “Safek Me’abed Asmo La’da’at” (possible suicide).

    Oyvey
    Oyvey
    9 years ago

    Sheriffs are used mostly in small towns. In large cities police forces are used.
    In small towns speed traps are a major form of revenue and to help pay the sheriff’s salary. So of course it’s the sheriffs that are complaining about waze.